Oct 5, 2021

Fabian & Fred of Germany presents a slate focused on feminism and gender identity

Cartoon Brew readers and animation festival regulars may by now be familiar with the name Fabian&Fred. The German studio has consistently produced strong, striking animated shorts - and the occasional feature - that serve as a counterpoint to the stream of family cg features made in its country.

A running theme in its work so far has been the experiences of women, and female directors are well represented in its catalogue, which includes Špela Cadež's Steakhouse and the documentary Carlotta's Face. As Fabian&Fred grows its slate, the focus on women - and now also non-binary identities - is apparent.

The studio has presented two features in development, Sultana and Alia's Secret, as well as the series Vanja's World. Read on for details of all three projects.

In recent years, Germany's animation industry has found success in producing low- or mid-budget cg films for family audiences. Animation for adults, or with a novel stylistic approach, is rarer, and Driehorst has spoken about the difficulties of financing projects in the country that break the mold. He elaborates to Cartoon Brew:

Image at top: “Sultana”